Britain's largest eco-friendly residential property development is officially open and the early indications are that the green dream will be a popular one in years to come. Last week, the first 6 properties went on sale at the 82-home BedZed scheme in Sutton, Surrey. Three of the properties were immediately reserved and over 300 potential buyers have already expressed an interest in purchasing the remaining units as they become available. So what is all the fuss about?

As shown in the title of this article BedZed strands for Beddington Zero Energy Development. It is a highly co-ordinated development of 82 live/work terraces built on the site of a former sewage plant with two key principles at the core of the whole design - zero energy and zero carbon emissions.

As we shall see throughout the remainder of this article, BedZEd is a prime example of how property developers can embrace sustainable development in the creation of housing estates that are both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly.

The man whose vision has led to the realisation of the BedZed dream is architect Bill Dunster, who has worked closely with a variety of other organisations to enable the project, including the Peabody Trust, the BioRegional Development Group and the London Borough of Sutton. Mr Dunster talks passionately about the development: "What we need to learn is to live more closely together and, where possible, to live and work without having to commute. This means the creation of more densely packed homes in suburbia, homes with built-in workspaces."

BedZED will only use energy from an on-site heat and power plant, fuelled by wood chips from a local tree surgery that would otherwise be buried in overstretched landfill sites. The development is 'carbon neutral' meaning that the energy systems won't be contributing to global warming - another plus for the eco-friendly residents.

The energy system should be capable of producing at least as much electricity as the development consumes. Mind you, the requirements will be all that high - the design of the development is such that residents should see a 60% reduction in total energy demand and a 90% reduction in heat demand, compared to a typical suburban home. Just how the designers have achieved this is fascinating:

• For starters, the roofs, walls and floors are coated with high performance insulator that minimises heat loss.
• Double glazing goes out the window - these homes are triple glazed.
• Timber window frames and excellent sealing all help stop the heat leaking out.
• A heat exchanger in the wind-driven ventilation system then recovers between 50% and 70% of the warmth from the outgoing stale air.
• The houses face south to make maximum use of solar energy.
• All homes will be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels which convert the sun's energy into electricity.
• Kitchens will be fitted with the latest in energy-saving appliances and low-energy light will mean that even if a family has a light on in every room, the total use will still only be 120 watts.
• The domestic hot water cylinders are positioned centrally in every home and office so that they can double up as heat emitters in cold spells.

BedZED's water strategy will drastically cut mains water usage and make the most of other sources such as rainwater. Here are some of the methods it will use:

• Install water-efficient appliances such as washing machines.
• Use lower-volume baths and fitting taps with water-saving flow restrictors.
• Make use of 'dual flush' toilets.
• Utilise the rainwater stored in large tanks for nearly a fifth of daily water consumption.

However, the main water feature is the small scale sewerage treatment system that accompanies the development. Known as the Living machine, it is a biological system that extracts the nutrients for plant food and then treats the water to a standard which allows it to be recycled for flushing the toilet.

Transport is always a thorny issue with environmentalists, but the minds behind BedZED are convinced that they have come up with a viable transport solution that will make it possible for future residents to eventually forgo car ownership. In fact, BedZED is believed to be the first housing development to have a legally-binding green transport plan as a condition of planning permission.

The provision of working spaces will allow some people to work from home and reduce the need for commuting to employment centres. On-site facilities - which could include a shop, cafe and a healthy living centre with childcare facilities - will further cut down the need to travel.

Although normal cars will not be forbidden, there will be limited parking space and residents will be encouraged to make use of public transport, including trains, buses and a tramlink.

Most importantly the planners have tried to do cut down the reliance on traditional cars. The residents of the estate will be served by a pool of electric cars that will powered by the on-site power generators. There will also be plenty of space for bicycle storage and pedestrian friendly road layouts.

Further energy savings have been made by sourcing most of the necessary materials for the development from within 35 miles of the site, with preference given to recycled materials. All the wood used has been approved by the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure that it comes from a sustainable source.

The homes themselves are arranged in mini terraces of 6 homes, with each rising to 3 storeys in height. Not all buildings contain the same properties though, with the 82 dwellings including flats, maisonettes, town houses and mews. The housing density levels are high, even though each home comes with a back garden to go with the balconies and roof terrace.

So just who is going to come and live at BedZED?

In keeping with the recommendations of the Urban Task Force the scheme will be mixed tenure. 34 homes are to be sold outright, 23 will available through shared ownership schemes, 10 will be let to key workers at low cost rents and the remaining 15 will be social housing.

Adrian Panucci of the Peabody Trus says that there has been lots of interest from the obvious groups, including those who want to live a green lifestyle. However, as he points out, "the enquiries have not been confined to this group. There have also been a lot of young professionals interested in the scheme".

It is not surprising that professional people are among those interested, as it appears that green living doesn't come all that cheap. Starting prices for a one-bedroom flat begin at £102,500, while a four bedroom house will set you back at least £238,500.

To be eligible for shared ownership at BedZED, applicants must be on the Sutton Council housing waiting list, a tenant of Sutton Council or a housing association in the borough, or a nurse or a teacher living or working in Sutton.

You can visit the BedZED website for further information: http://www.bedzed.org.uk